Well-drilling machine.



No. 684,079. Patented Oct. 8, mm.

.l. w. MILLER.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 22, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Shuts-Sheet l.

No. 684,079. Patented Oct. 8, I90l.

J. w. MILLER.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 22, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

77777265868: 1322/62? 02": 5% =7o/7r WMi/Zeg 2M 5 3 fM g I No. 684,079.Patented Oct. 8, I90].

J. W. MILLER.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

(Application filad Mar. 22, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

JOHN T. MILLER,

ATENT Fries.

OF AKRON, OHIO- WELL-DRILLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,079, dated October8, 1901.

' Application filed March 22, 1901. Serial No. 52,333. (No most.) I

which the following is a specification.

. My invention has relation generally to devices for drilling wells, andhas an especial relation to mechanism for causing two gears arranged tomesh together to be thrown in and out of operative connection.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective devicefor releasing the drum upon which the rope is wound in raising tools,850., out of the well from the influence of the power-driving mechanism.in order to enable the drum to revolve freely in the process of loweringtools in the well unincumbored by the otherwise necessary revolution ofa large number of connecting mechanisms.

To the aforesaid object my invention consists in the peculiar and novelarrangement, construction, and combination of the various partshereinafter described and then specifically pointed out in the claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forniing'a part ofthis specification.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference-numeralsindicate like parts in the difierent views, Figure 1 is a plan of mydevice and so much of the mechanism of a well-drilling machine as toshow its application thereto; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the samelooking from the lower part of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail of the manner ofsupporting and locking the actuating-lever, and Fig. 4 a plan of certainportions of a well-drilling machine to show the application of myimproved device. i

In the drawings, 1 is one of the Wooden side beams of the main frame, onwhich all the operative mechanism is mounted, and in the frame isjournaled a shaft 2, upon which and within said frame 1 is mounted adrum 8, upon which is Wound a rope used in raising and lowering. thetools and drilling appliance into the well. On the outside of said frame1 and tightly mounted on said shaft is a large gear 4, and attached toand arranged to revolve with said gear is a drum 5, having, ifpreferred, a band friction-brake arranged to inclose it to check itsrevolution. A main power-driven shaft 6 is also mounted in said frameparallel to the first and is provided with a pinion 7 outside of saidframe, arranged to mesh in' gear 4. The shaft 6 'from the frame outwardis feathered to enable the gear 7 to slide lengthwise thereon andrevolve therewith. On the gear7 isa hub '8, having a loose divided ring9 surrounding of the links 10 are pivotally fastened to the oppositeends of a vertical rod 11. From the top and. bottom of this rod 11extend like links 12, which connect'with the opposite ends of a rod 13.This rod 13 is centrally mounted by a bolt passing into the end of theshaft 6 or into a stub-shaft fastened into the end of the shaft 6, ifpreferred. From the rod 11 and avoiding the shaft 6 extends a longhandle-lever 11, having in its middle portion a swivel 15 andterminating in a loop or other device affording a convenient grasp forthe hand. The extended or f rec end of the lever 14: is supported bybrace 16, which is bolted to the frame 1 at one end and then passes overthe gear 4 and drum 5 down past the center line of the shaft 2. Theshaft 2 terminateswithin the drum 5, and an extension 17 concentrictherewith reaches from the shaft 2 to meet the brace 16, to which it ispivotally attached by bolt 18, and by this means the lower end of thebrace is supported. Just above the bolt 18 on the brace 16 is aboss 19,through which is a hole in which the lever 14 passes and slides and issupported. Above the boss 19 is fastened a fiat spring 20,having ahalf-twistinits length and placed edgewise to the boss 19, and in thatposition it enters a narrow transverse slit in the boss and engagesnotches 21, cut in the lever 14, and prevents the lever 1-1 beingoperated unless the handle portion of the lever is rotated to bring thenotches out of reach of the spring 20.

In Fig. 4: is shown a general plan of a well cross-bars 23, 2- and 25.Upon the cross bars 23 and 2t is mounted an upright engine 26, providedwith a balance-wheel 27 on a shaft 28, which carries a pulley 29, onwhich runs a belt 30 overa large pulley31, mounted on a shaft 32,mounted in the side bars 1 1 of the main frame. In the shaft 32 is acrank 33, to which is connected an offset connecting-rod 34, attached tothe middle portion of a rocking bar 35, pivoted on a cross-shaft 36 andwhich bears a revoluble sheave. As the shaft 32 is rotated the crank 33will cause a reciprocating motion in the connecting-rod 34C, and thusrock the arm 35 and its sheave 37 back and forth. The rope for raisingthe tools is passed from the drum 3 over the sheave and thence over apulley on a derrick down into the well, and the oscillations of thesheave 37 will cause the tools and drills to rise and fall in the well.

Across the frame 1 1 is a shaft 38, bearing a friction-pulley 39,attached, when desired, to bear against the inner face of the pulley 31between the two sides of the belt 6. This shaft 6 is capable of a veryslight longitudinal motion in its left journal, caused by a cam 38,capable of manipulation to throw the pulley 39 against the pulley 31, sothat the shaft 6 may be caused to rotate or not, as desired by theoperator. On the shaft 32 is a crank 40, to which is attached, but notshown here, the connecting-lever of a walking-beam properly supported inthe machine, to which are attached the drilling-tools when it is notdesired to use the oscillating sheave 37.

The operation is as follows: In raising tools from the well the lever 14is turned a partial turn to free it from the spring 20 and is then drawntoward the operator, which causes the rod 11 to approach the shaft 6 andthe angle between the two links 10 and 12 is made to approach a straightline, thereby foroin g the pinion 7 to the left and into gear with thespur-wheel 4. The notch in the lever will hold the mechanism inposition, and then power being supplied to pulley 39 by pulley 31 thedrum 3 is rapidly revolved. Then it is desired to lower tools or drillsinto the well, no power being required and speed and a diminution offriction being very desirable, the operator releases the lever 14'fl0lnthe spring20 and places the parts in the position shown in the drawings,thereby enabling the drum 3 with its shaft to revolve more rapidly thanis possible were the other parts compelled to revolve therewith.

That I claim is 1. The combination in a machine for drilling wellshaving a revoluble shaft bearing a winding-dr u m and a gear-wheel; afeathered counter-shaft bearing a pinion arranged to slide thereon toengage and mesh in said gear-wheel and to withdraw from such engagement,and a ring connected with and arranged to move said pinion, of two pairsof links pivotally connected at one end together and with an interposedrod, forming togglejoints, the free ends of one pair pivotally connectedwith said ring, and the free ends of the other pair with a fixed rod,and a handle connected to said interposed rod to draw said rod to bendsaid joints to move said pinion away from said gear, and to straightenthem to return said pinion, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination in a machine for drilling wells having a revolubleshaft bearing a winding-drum and a gear-wheel; a feathered counter-shaftbearing a pinion arranged to slide thereon to engage and mesh in saidgearwheel and to withdraw from such engagement, and a ring connectedwith and arranged to move said pinion, of two pairs of links pivotallyconnected at one end together and with an interposed rod,formingtoggle-joints, the free ends of one pair pivotally connected with saidring, and the free ends of the other pair with a fixed rod, and a handleconnected to said interposed rod to draw said rod to bend said joints tomove said pinions away from said gear, and to straighten them to returnsaid pinion and a locking device to hold said handle in either position,substantially as shown and described.

3. In a drilling-machine of the kind described, having a pair of gearsto operate a drum to raise and lower the tools, the combination with apost mounted on an extension of the shaft of one of said gears, a postattached to an operating-lever, said lever being provided with a lockingdevice, a brace attached to an extension of the shaft of one of thegears, a bearing for said lever on said brace, a revoluble ring on thehub of said first-mentioned gear, links connecting said posts with eachother and with said ring arranged to cause said gears to mesh when saidconnecting-links are in substantially a true line and separate them whensaid rods are at an angle with each other, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony that I claim the above I here unto setmy hand in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

J'OIIN \V. MILLER. In presence of O. E. HUMPHREY, EVA M. LIDYARD.

IOO

